Prevalent Factors Involved in Delays Associated with Page Downloads

Abstract

Over the years the number of Web users has increased dramatically unfortunately leading to the inherent problem of congestion. This can affect each user’s surfing experience. A large percentage of sites use a combination of text and image-heavy design with the use of images contributing heavily to slow-loading sites. Studies have shown that surfers spend a lot of time impatiently waiting for pages to emerge on screen and HCI guidelines indicate 10 seconds as the maximum response time before users lose interest. This chapter presents research into the observed usage of images by academic institutions and the effects on page retrieval times.